


It Takes a Village

by Las



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-10
Updated: 2014-12-10
Packaged: 2018-02-28 21:25:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2747627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Las/pseuds/Las
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You can't always keep away the bad dreams, but you don't have to be alone afterwards.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Takes a Village

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ienablu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ienablu/gifts).



> Originally posted here: http://siterlas.tumblr.com/post/104731848491/my-kingdom-for-chuck-stacker

Chuck’s scream cuts through the night and yanks Stacker out of dreams. His first instinct is to go for a weapon, but there are none nearby, not within arm’s reach, because these are the terms and conditions they both agreed to for these couple of weeks. A couple of dads with their kids, trying not to think about the war. Normal stuff. They can still do normal.

Normal just includes night terrors, is all. Herc is already out of bed and out the door, and Stacker is cursing quietly and trying to find a shirt as fast as he can. His clothes are strewn all over the floor of Herc’s bedroom, it’s all such a fucking mess and he stubs his toe against the dresser and curses again.

And there’s Herc’s worried shouts, barely intelligible over Chuck crying for his mother, wake up, where’s mum, over and over. And there’s the quick patter of little feet and there’s Mako in the doorway, eyes wide and frightened, because her first instinct in the face of panic is already to make sure that Stacker is okay, that he hasn’t left, that they are still two of a kind like he promised her all those months ago.

"Daijoubu, daijoubu," Stacker assures her, and wiggles his toe. He’ll live. He pulls on a shirt and it turns out to be Herc’s, too tight around the shoulders, but it doesn’t matter. Stacker goes to lift Mako in his arms, and she wraps her limbs around him, burying her face in his neck. He can feel her heart beating rapidly against him, she’s holding him so tight, and he kisses her face, telling her it’s okay.

Chuck is awake by the time Stacker tucks Mako into bed again; the shouting has receded. This is not necessarily a signifier of peace. Stacker kisses Mako one more time on her forehead and says he’ll be back to check on her in a bit, then goes to Chuck’s room.

Herc and Chuck had been speaking, possibly at the same time, but as soon as Stacker pushes open the door, they fall silent. It’s a familiar scene - stubborn set of Chuck’s jaw, panic masked as fury, and Herc with desperation masked likewise. Chuck is sitting in the corner of the bed farthest from his father, knees pulled up to his chest, and steadfastly not looking at anyone. Herc covers his face with one hand and leans against the headboard, throat bobbing.

Stacker walks inside and puts one hand on Herc’s shoulder, thumb rubbing circles in comfort, but his eyes are on Chuck. “I was just about to make myself a sandwich, Chuck. You want one?”

No answer.

"Ice cream, then," Stacker muses, rubbing his chin in exaggerated thoughtfulness. Herc snorts.

Chuck deigns to glance at him.

"He’ll get a cavity, y’know," Herc says.

"Ah, well, then that’s the fault of his father for passing on such terrible dental genes," Stacker says. He holds out a hand to Chuck, who looks at it suspiciously. "Chocolate syrup."

Chuck hesitantly slides off the bed and walks around to Stacker, petulantly giving his own father wide berth. Herc just watches him with his, arms crossed and eyes sunk in.

"You don’t need to hold my hand," Chuck says to Stacker.

Stacker nods. “All right.”

Chuck shuffles towards the door, and Stacker takes the opportunity to lean down and kiss the top of Herc’s head. “‘S all right, yeah? Go back to bed.”

"Mmm." Herc tilts his face up expectantly, and Stacker pecks his lips. "All that sugar’s gonna make him hyper, he’ll never go back to bed again."

"You’re so lucky I’m here to be the cool uncle."

"In your dreams," Herc mutters, but he’s smiling now.

Chuck is waiting obediently in the hall. Stacker walks out and Chuck ends up leading the way, with a brief stop in front of Mako’s room when Stacker pokes his head in to check up on her, as promised.

"Is Mako having ice cream too?" Chuck asks, and there’s a little bit of hope to it that makes Stacker laugh softly.

"I was wondering that too," Stacker says, "but she’s asleep now. It’s just you and me."

In the kitchen, Chuck sits at the table with his feet swinging under his chair. Chuck’s favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate and Stacker likes mint, but the only flavor Herc stocks in the house is vanilla. Stacker gives him two scoops and too much chocolate syrup. Chuck says he’ll make his dad to buy more flavors next time and Stacker admits that’s a good idea.

"No it’s not!" Herc shouts from the hall. "You two keep it down, all right, and save some ice cream for me tomorrow."

"G’night!" Stacker says, and Chuck echoes him a few seconds later, mouth full of ice cream.

Stacker takes one scoop and just a drizzle of syrup. He ruffles Chuck’s hair and sits across from him, just a couple guys with a midnight snack, trying not to think about the war and the worst parts of it that stays in their dreams.

Chuck squints at Stacker. “That’s my dad’s shirt.”

"Erm." Stacker looks down at himself. "Yeah. I like it. Think I’ll keep it."

"It looked ugly on him anyway," Chuck tells him in a conspiratorial tone.

Stacker nods. “Yeah. ‘S right.”

The matter settled, Chuck continues eating his ice cream, and Stacker smiles, and eats his too.


End file.
